USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > The biographical record of Whiteside County, Illinois.. > Part 36
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mill and general store. In that state her father, John Galt, also followed the occupa- tions of milling, farming and general mer- chandising until 1844, when he came west and took up his residence in Sterling, Illi- nois, where he immediately opened a gen- eral store, which he conducted alone for a time but later took in James Crawford as a partner and then turned his attention to his farming interests. On coming to the county he had taken up considerable land in Hop- kins township, where he spent his remain- ing days engaged in agricultural pursuits. He founded the town of Galt upon his land. He died in 1866, at the age of sixty-five years, and his wife passed away October 25, 1898, at the advanced age of ninety-three. To this worthy couple were born thirteen children, namely: James wedded Mary Cul- ver, but both are now deceased. (More ex- tended mention is made of them in connec- tion with the sketch of Edgar H. Galt on another page of this volume.) Mary mar- ried James A. Galt and both are also de- ceased. Robert A. died unmarried. Thomas, who was a physician of Rock Island, married Rebecca Patterson and is now deceased, but his widow is still living in Sterling. Eliza- beth and John B. are also residents of Ster- ling. Alexander is deceased. Maria L. is the widow of our subject. Josephine, un- married, makes her home in Sterling. Frances A. is the wife of John Buyers, of Sterling. Henry M. died in infancy. Will- iam died at the age of ten years. Joseph died at the age of twenty-three years while studying medicine in a college in New York City.
Seven children were born to our subject and his wife, namely: (1) Mary is the wife of Adair Pleasants, a prominent lawyer of Rock Island, and they have two children,
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Dorothy and Matt. (2) Elmer, the present manager and secretary of the electric light company of Sterling, married Jennie Burdick and they have four children, Irene L., Jeanette G., Cora M. and Letitia. (3) Josephine is the wife of Archie A. Brock, who is engaged in the real estate business in Chicago, and they had four children, Archi- bald S .; Fred C .; Lyman D .; and Grace Virginia, who died of diphtheria in June, 1899. (4) Florence died at the age of sixteen months. (5) Robert G. is traveling for the Standard Oil Company and makes his home with his mother in Sterling. (6) Thomas, superintendent of the electric light plant of Sterling, married Helen T. Brookfield. (7) Dallas L. is at home.
Mr. Crawford died May 13, 1883, and was laid to rest in Riverside cemetery, Sterling. Fraternally he affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America, and polit- ically was identified with the Republican party. He was a prominent and active member of the Presbyterian church of Sterling, of which he was one of the trustees for a number of years and a teacher in the Sunday school. He was a man of the times, broad-minded, public-spirited and progressive and his influence was great and always for good. Mrs. Crawford also takes an active part in church work, is a member of the same congregation, and be- longs to the home and foreign missionary societies.
G EORGE T. NEEDHAM. Among the brave men who devoted the opening years of their manhood to the defense of our country from the internal foe who sought her dismemberment, was George T. Needham, a prominent resident of Prophets-
town, who is now living a retired life after many years devoted to agricultural pursuits. Ile was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, July 1, 1839, a son of George W. and Anna (Shaner) Needham, natives of Beaver county, that state, the former born in 1799, the latter in 1805. Our subject's paternal grandfather, George Needham, was a native of Scotland, while the maternal grandfather, Henry Shaner, was born in Germany, and both were early settlers of Beaver county, Pennsylvania. After his marriage, George W. Needham removed to Mercer county, where he cleared and improved a farm, making his home there until after the birth of all of his children. In 1852, he came to Kendall county, Illinois, locating at Long Grove, near Yorkville, where he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land and again devoted his energies to transforming wild land into a well-cultivated farm. There he died in 1857, but his wife survived him for forty years, living to the remarkably old age of ninety-three. Our subject is the. youngest of their seven sons and one of a family of eleven children, only four of whom are now living: David S., a resident of Ken- esaw, Nebraska; Fanny wife of Winslow Stewart, of Plano, Illinois; and Caroline, wife of William Heckman, of Aurora.
George T. Needham, of this review, was a lad of fifteen years when he accom- panied his parents on their removal to Ken- dall county, and he aided in opening up the home farm. He was provided with meager school privileges and is therefore almost wholly self-educated. After his father's death he took charge of the home farm and carried it on for some years. On the 15th of August, 1862, he enlisted in Company K, One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and remained in the
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service until hostilities ceased, being honor- ably discharged in June, 1865. He partic- ipated in the battles of Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, Port Gibson, Jackson, Champion Hill, Black River Bridge, the siege and capture of Vicksburg, the battle of Chattanooga, and the engagements around that place, including Lookout Mount- ain. With his command he then started on the Atlanta campaign, and took part in the battles of Resaca and Kingston and numerous engagements around Atlanta. After the capture of that city, he went with Sherman on his celebrated march to the sea, and later took part in the battle of Benton- ville, North Carolina, the last engagement of the war. He received two gunshot wounds, and was ill in the hospital at Jeffer- son Barracks, Missouri, during the winter of 1863. He made for himself an honor- able record as a brave soldier and a valiant defender of the old flag and the cause it represented.
After being discharged Mr. Needham re- turned to Kendall county and resumed farm- ing on the old homestead. He was mar- ried in that county November 7, 1865, to Miss Mary Throckmorton, who was born in Chicago, but was reared and educated in Kendall county. Her father, Matthew Throckmorton, was a native of Kentucky, and as a young man came to this state. Her mother, who bore the maiden name of Eliza- beth Boyd, was also a native of Kentucky. Our subject and his wife began their mar- ried life on the Needham farm, but in the spring of 1868 he sold that place and came to Whiteside county, purchasing a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Prophets- town township, to the further improvement and cultivation of which he at once turned his attention. He tiled and ditched the
land, and erected thereon a comfortable home, a good barn and other outbuildings, and continued to successfully engage in gen- eral farming and stock raising until the spring of 1895, when he sold his farm and moved to Prophetstown. Here he purchased residence property and has since lived re- tired, enjoying a well-earned rest.
Mr. and Mrs. Needham had four chil- dren, namely: George W., who is married and lives in New Mexico; Anna, who mar- ried Harry Seeley, of Dwight, Illinois, and died May 11, 1899; Grace, wife of Lewis Lyons, a farmer of Whiteside county, and Maude, wife of Charles Stephenson, also of this county. There are also five grand- children.
The Republican party finds in Mr. Need- ham a stanch supporter of its principles, and he cast his first presidential vote for Abra- ham Lincoln in 1860. His father was an old-line Whig. Our subject has been promi- nently connected with educational interests, served for some years as member of the school board, and was president of the dis- trict for a time. He is a member of Proph- etstown lodge, F. & A. M., and of Tampico post, No. 491, G. A. R., in which he has filled all the offices, and is now past commander. His loyalty as a citizen and his devotion to his country's interests are among his marked characteristics, and the community is fortu- nate that numbers him among its citizens.
E MMETT E. UNDERHILL. Many of the leading citizens of Whiteside county served their country as soldiers during the dark days of the Rebellion, making a record honorable and glorious. Among these brave boys in blue was Mr. Underhill, who is now a successful farmer and stock-raiser, owning
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and operating a well-improved farm on sec- tion 2, Prophetstown township, three miles east of the village of Prophetstown.
He was born in that township December II, 1847, a son of Lodowic and Cynthia (Goodell) Underhill, both of whom were natives of New York, but were married in this county. When a young man the father canie to this state, and in 1838 took up his residence in Portland township, Whiteside county. There his wife died in 1849, and after her death our subject made his home with his cousin, William Spencer, until fif- teen years of age, when he started out in life for himself. He was only sixteen years of age when he entered the army, enlisting January 28, 1864, in Company K, Thirty- fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, which was assigned to the Army of the Tennessee. He participated in the Atlanta campaign and the numerous battles around that city, was with Sherman on the memorable march to the sea, and took part in the battle of Ben- tonville, which was the last battle of the war and one of the hottest engagements in which he participated. When hostilities ceased and his services were no longer needed, he was honorably discharged, in July, 1865, and returned home. He then worked by the month for a few years.
On the 15th of September, 1868, Mr. Underhill was united in marriage with Miss Frances G. Gage, daughter of E. S. Gage, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work. She was born and reared in Prophetstown township. Our subject and his wife have one son, Eugene, now a business man of Prophetstown. He married Cora Hotchkiss, a native of this county and a daughter of David Hotchkiss, and to them have been born two children, Orpha and Leah Fern.
For three years after his marriage Mr.
Underhill operated rented land, and in 1872 purchased the farm where he now resides. At that time it was only slightly improved, but through his untiring efforts it has been converted into one of the most desirable farms of its size in the township. He has crected good buildings thereon, set out fruit and shade trees, and made many other im- provements which add greatly to the value and attractive appearance of the place. He has met with well-deserved success in his labors and is accounted one of the most skillful agriculturists in the community. Since casting his first presidential ballot for General Grant, in 1868, he has been an un - compromising Republican. His fellow citi- zens, recognizing his worth and ability, have honored him with several local offices. In 1893 he was elected commissioner of high- ways, which office he has now creditably filled for six years, and has served as treas- urer of the board for five years. He has also been a member of the school board several terms. He is an honored member of Prophetstown post, G. A. R., in which he has filled several offices, and is highly esteemed and respected wherever known, and most of all where he is best known.
JOEL W. FARLEY, constable and ex- J sheriff of Whiteside county, with resi- dence and office at Fulton, was born August 7, 1841, at Erie county, Pennsylvania, a son of Joel and Mary (Finch) Farley, the former of whom was born in New Jersey, and the latter in Canada. His parents spent the early part of their married life in Pennsylvania, from whence they removed to Indiana. A short time after, the father joined a company of forty-niners starting for the gold fields, with whom he crossed
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the plains in an ox team, being eleven months on the way. Three years later, having met with better success than the majority of miners, he returned via the Isthmus, bringing with him several gold nuggets. Locating at Mishawaka, Indiana, four miles from South Bend, he there en- gaged in agricultural pursuits until 1862, when he came with his family to Whiteside county, Illinois. Purchasing a farm about five miles east of Fulton he continued his chosen occupation until his death, in 1866. He was a Democrat in politics, and though never an office seeker was an active worker for his party. His wife survived him, dying in July, 1898. Of their nine children three died in childhood, one daughter and two sons. Six grew to years of maturity, namely: John, a farmer in Oklahoma; Ozias A., a farmer in Burt county, Nebraska; Joel W., the special subject of this sketch; James Kendall, deceased; George, deceased; and Charles, deceased.
Joel W. Farley was a sturdy youth of twenty-one years when he came with his parents to this county. He assisted in the improvement of the new farm, and for a number of years after his father's death was sole manager of the estate. In 1871, or thereabouts, he left the homestead, coming to Fulton to assume the duties of constable. In 1891 he was elected sheriff of the county, an important position which he filled ac- ceptably four years, after which he served as deputy sheriff under C. C. Fuller. Since April, 1897, he has been constable again, and has his office in the De Bey building, where he is also carrying on a lucrative business in real estate and loans, and negotiates sales, buying and selling estates. He is likewise interested to a considerable extent in both town and country property,
dealing largely in both. He has been in public life almost continuously since coming to Fulton, and for three terms has rendered excellent service to the city as an alderman, having represented the third ward two terms, and the second ward one term. While living on the farm he was an office holder several years, having been road com- missioner and school director.
On September 7, 1880. Mr. Farley married Miss Sarah Collins, daughter of William and Jane (Buckner) Collins, of Putnam, Ontario, and they have one son, Perry C. Farley, born May 30, 1888. Politically Mr. Farley is a strong supporter of the principles of the Democratic party, and has the distinction of being the only sheriff ever elected in White- side county on that ticket, having then re- ceived a rousing majority of 660 votes. Fraternally he is a member of Fulton City lodge, No. 189, A. F. & A. M .; and of Abou Ben Adhem lodge, No. 148, 1. O. O. F., of which he is past grand, and has at- tended grand lodge conventions. Mrs. Far- ley is a member of the Fulton Presbyterian church, of which Mr. Farley is an attendant, and a generous contributor towards its sup- port.
C OLONEL JOSEPH A. LUBLINER. The history of this esteemed citizen of Sterling is of unusual interest, and his nu- merous friends, here and elsewhere, will peruse the outline, as given below, with keen relish. Few of our foreign-born citi- zens are more loyal in their devotion to this, the land of their adoption, than he has been for the period of his residence here, about half a century.
Colonel Lubliner is a native of Kalitza, Poland, his birth having occurred March 17, 1824. He is one of the seven children of
COL. J. A. LUBLINER.
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Michael and Mary (Pincof) Lubliner. The father was the owner of a large estate there, and never left his native land. In his youth our subject attended the high school, and later was a student at the University of Cracow, which city now belongs to Austria. The young man spent two years at college, giving his undivided attention to the mas- tery of law, for he wished to become an ad- vocate.
In 1848, as is well remembered by the student of history, occurred the attempt of Austria to absorb Hungary, and in company with about two hundred other students our subject went to the aid of Kossuth, who bravely endeavored to free his country from the yoke of oppression, and was given a position as aide on the staff of that noted general, with the rank of colonel. The knowledge of military tactics, which he had already gained at college, rendered the young student of great assistance to the renowned leader, but at the end of some ten months of hard fighting he was taken prisoner by the Russians, and was sentenced to twenty- five years of service in the Russian army. For some time he was stationed at Moscow, and later was one of the imperial guard at the palace of the czar, Nicholas. The young man, however, had no intention of spending the best years of his life in the service of a tyrant whom he so thoroughly despised, and he patiently awaited an op- portunity to escape such slavery. While on regular duty he chanced to pass the locality in which his early home, Kalitza, was lo- cated, and making a bold dash for freedom he left the ranks of the army, and disguis- ing himself in some clothes which his friends had awaiting him he took the passport also provided him by their forethought, and went to Brussels, thence to Liepsic and Ilam-
burg. From the last-mentioned city he pro- ceeded to England, and at Liverpool found his superior, General Kossuth, and came with him to America, and with that hero shared an enthusiastic welcome from the Americans. Later he was entertained at the home of Commodore Vanderbilt, and with his general was honored with various public receptions. During his residence of about a year in New York state and in New Jersey the colonel obtained a fair knowledge of the English language.
In 1852, he went to the Pacific coast, by the way of the Isthmus of Panama, and for five months he worked in the gold inines. Finding his health somewhat impaired, he returned to San Francisco, and entered the employ of William T. Coleman, one of the wealthiest mine-owners and merchants of the United States. For two years he served as a member of the Pioneer Guards of San Francisco, and for a like period was the captain of the Vigilance Committee which restored law and order to the city, after a period of terror and lawlessness. After spending three years in the west, he re- turned to New York, and thence came to Sterling. During the ensuing nineteen years, he travelled for large cloth houses, selling all kinds of dress goods. He then decided to lead a more quite life, and for a few years carried on a farm in Palmyra township, Lee county, Illinois, making a specialty of raising live stock, and, as in all other ventures which he had undertaken, made a success of the enterprise.
On Christmas day, 1859, the Colonel married Julia A. Harrison, a native of New York state, and daughter of Norman and Deliverance (Standish) Harrison. The former, who is a cousin of William H. Har- rison, was the first settler of the now popu-
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lous Boone county, New York, and his wife was a daughter of Israel Standish, the grand-nephew of Miles Standish, of Plym- outh colony faine. Norman Harrison and wife had seven children, namely: Sophro- nia, Charles, deceased; Maria, deceased; Louis, Julia, Nancy and David, deceased. Charles Harrison once owned all of the land where Clinton, Iowa, now stands, this prop- erty having been taken by him from the gov- ernment. Norman Harrison was one of the earliest settlers in the vicinity of Clinton.
Politically, the Colonel is a Democrat, but has never sought nor desired public of- fice. His devoted wife, whose death oc- curred on the 4th of June, 1897, was a member of the Presbyterian church. Though he has never identified himself with any denomination, our subject attends the Pres- byterian church and contributes to its sup- port. Both he and his estimable wife have had the love and esteem of a large circle of friends.
W ILFORD L. DARLING, a leading and representative farmer of Tamp- ico township, residing on section 24, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, October 25, 1854, and belongs to an old and highly respected family of that state. His father, Palmer Darling, was born on the old home- stead near Sutton, which is still in the pos- session of the family, and was there reared to manhood. He married Miss Martha Holmes, a native of Southbridge, Massa- chusetts. Both grandfathers of our subject were soldiers of the Revolutionary war. After his marriage, the father located in Worcester, where he worked at his trade of carpentering, and where he continued to make his home throughout life. He died
in 1868, at the age of forty-six years, his wife, in 1864, at the age of thirty-nine years.
Our subject spent his youth in his native city and was educated in its public schools. At an early age he commenced work for a mechanic, doing chores, and at intervals at- tended school when possible. Later he worked in a woolen factory at Cherry Val- ley, Massachusetts, for one winter, and then clerked in a store at Grafton, Massa- chusetts. In 1874, at the age of twenty years, he came to Illinois and joined an uncle in Winnebago county, where he worked as a farm hand by the months for five years, being with two men two years each and with another one year. He then purchased a team, harness and wagon and drove across the country to Fillmore county, Nebraska, where he followed farming on his own account.
After living alone for two years, Mr. Darling was married in Fairmont, Fillmore county, March 14, 1882, to Miss Nancy Beautebaugh, who was born iu Tiskilwa, Illinois. Her father, Jacob Beautebaugh, was a native of Pennsylvania and an early settler of Illinois, who lived first in Bureau county and later in Whiteside county. For about three years after his marriage, Mr. Darling continued to engage in farming in Nebraska, and then returned to illinois, again driving across the state of Iowa. He located on Beautebaugh farm near Hills- dale, which, after operating for fifteen years, he bought from the heirs, but in 1897 he traded that farm for his present place on section 24, Tampico township. Here he has a well improved farm of one hundred and twenty-three acies, on which is a large, new house, a good barn and everything in first-class order. He also rents a tract and
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now operates two hundred and forty acres with good success.
Mr. and Mrs. Darling have six children, three sons and three daughters, namely: Rob- ert Lincoln, Mabel Estella, Fred Monroe. Charles Harrison, Emma Ethel and Bertha Agnes. Politically Mr. Darling is a stanch Republican, having affiliated with that party since casting his first presidential vote for Rutherford B. Hayes. For some years he served as a member of the school board and his support is given every enterprise which he believes will advance the moral, intellectual and material welfare of his community. He and his wife are active and prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Tampico, and he is a great Sunday school worker, having served as superintendent for seven years, and as teacher of a class of boys at Kensterville. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, while both himself and wife are members of the Royal Neighbors.
LION. DWIGHT S. SPAFFORD. Few men are more prominent or more widely known in the enterprising city of Morrison than this gentleman. He has been an important factor in business circles and in public affairs, and his popularity is well deserved, as in him are embraced the characteristics of an unbending integrity, unabated energy and industry that never flags. He is public-spirited and thoroughly interested in whatever tends to promote the moral, intellectual and material welfare of his town and county.
Mr. Spafford was born in Bergen, Gene- see county, New York, December 22, 1834, and is a representative of an old New Eng- land family, his ancestors having come from
the old Spafford castle in England to the United States at an early day and settled near Worcester, Massachusetts. His father, Sumner Spafford, was born at Worcester about 1 800, and when ten years old removed to Genesee county, New York, with his parents, Jacob and - - Spafford. At that time Rochester contained only the cabin of Mr. Rochester and one or two others. The Spafford family located in the woods near Bergen, and the grandfather of our subject took up new land in the Holland purchase. Upon his place he erected a cabin, and the first year cleared a small piece of ground, which he planted in corn. The following spring he made more ex- tensive improvements upon his place, and soon had two hundred acres cleared and placed under cultivation. Upon that farm he continued to make his home until his death. He was probably at Buffalo during the war of 1812, in which conflict his sons were engaged. With his wife he returned to Worcester, Massachusetts, a number of times before the Eric canal was built, mak- ing the trip with a horse and buggy. They were members of the Presbyterian church and most estimable people.
Sumner Spafford, father of our subject, was reared and educated at Bergen, New York, and spent his entire life on the old homestead, of which he had charge after his father's death. He was an extensive wheat grower and became quite well-to-do. He served as lieutenant-colonel in the state militia, was a Whig in politics, and a faith- ful member of the Presbyterian church. He died in 1857, and his wife in her maid- enhood was Miss Delia Barber, of Bergen, New York. To them were born four chil- dren, who reached years of maturity, but our subject is the only one living in Illinois.
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